Inside the colorful community center at Friendship Court, a team of volunteers got on their hands and knees and scrubbed down floors and windows to make the center shine as a vibrant, welcoming place for children and teens to hang out each day after school.

On Wednesday, September 20, 2017 nearly 2,000 people participated in the United Way Laurence E. Richardson Day of Caring taking place at about 100 non-profits and schools throughout the Charlottesville area, including a clean-up project at Friendship Court and raised garden bed building at Crozet Meadows/Meadowlands Apartments.

Eight employees from Jefferson Scholars Foundation gathered early in the morning outside the Friendship Court Community Center where Claudette Grant, community organizer, shared what needed to be done to help spruce up the center. The team spent the morning as well as part of the afternoon scrubbing the walls, floors, and windows of the center until they were spotless, doing the kind of deep cleaning that never happens often enough. Others canvassed the grounds of Friendship Court, picking up trash to beautify the community space.

Robbyn Minnis, one of the volunteers from Jefferson Scholars Foundation said, “I’ve participated in the Day of Caring four or five times now, which I personally think is just a great way to give back to the community as well as being a great team building experience. Everyone was really excited to be participating in such an event which is in line with the values of our foundation.”

In Crozet, four more volunteers from PRA Health Sciences were carrying large 6×6 posts to form raised garden beds for the Crozet Meadows/Meadowlands Apartment communities. Despite the heat of the day, they measured and drilled holes with Maintenance Technician, Nathan Smoot and Chief Operating Officer, Karen Reifenberger. By the end of the afternoon, they had built two beautiful raised garden beds, fulfilling residents’ interest in having a place to gather to garden and build community. Crozet Meadows and the Meadowlands Apartments provide 96 affordable homes to low-income seniors. PRA Health Science employee Lauren Haberland said, “We so enjoyed our day with Karen and Nathan, and we cannot wait to see the garden bed full of fresh veggies!”

Day of Caring Coordinator, Megan Borishansky added, “I feel fortunate to be part of such a caring community, and to have the opportunity to play a role in bringing people together for a constructive cause. The Day of Caring honors the individuals volunteering their time, helps them build relationships as teams, and connects them with the missions of non-profits and schools that they might not come into contact with otherwise. This is what I love about the Day: each project serves as a piece of the greater puzzle dedicated to building community and honoring the best in each other.”

The United Way Day of Caring in the Charlottesville area was established in 1992 by the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area to promote the spirit and value of volunteerism, increase the awareness of local human service agencies and schools, and demonstrate what people working together for the community’s good can accomplish.